Information about the organization

The WTO can: sources

Section 1 “...cut living costs and raise living standards”

  • Figures on impact of liberalization in the US — John Veroneau, “Introduction”, and Why Christina R. Sevilla, “Liberalize Trade?”, in Economic Perspectives, January 2007, Volume 12, Number 1, US Department Of State, pages 2 and 4.
  • Figures on impact of liberalization in the EU — European Commission, Trade, Growth and World Affairs: Trade Policy as a Core Component of the EU’s 2020 Strategy, November 2010, page 5
  • Figures in “Food is cheaper”, “clothes are cheaper” — 10 benefits of the WTO trading system (no longer published)
  • Figures in “The same goes for other goods” — Bruce Stokes, “Protectionism and Politics” in Economic Perspectives, January 2007, Volume 12, Number 1, US Department Of State, page 9
  • Figures on services — Information and communications technology (ITC) data Measuring the Information Society 2011, International Telecommunications Union, 2011

 

Section 2 “...settle disputes and reduce trade tensions”

  • Boxes on disputes: WTO dispute data, Raúl A Torres, “Use of the WTO Trade Dispute Settlement Mechanism by the Latin American Countries — dispelling myths and breaking down barriers”. WTO Staff Working Paper ERSD-2012-03, February 2012

 

Section 3 “...stimulate economic growth and employment”

  • The OECD has charted the impact of imports on the jobless rate in 23 countries; and Chart: “Imports are no longer linked to job losses” — from Douglas Lippoldt (ed), Policy Priorities for International Trade and Jobs, OECD, 2012, page 22 and OECD Economic Outlook database
  • Information and communications technology (ITC) development index and employment figures: Measuring the Information Society 2011, International Telecommunications Union, 2011

 

Section 4 “...cut the cost of doing business internationally”

 

Section 5 “...encourage good governance”

 

Section 6 “...help countries develop”

  • Donor countries have committed an average of US$ 40 billion a year to trade-related development programmes — WTO document WT/COMTD/AFT/W/30, 15 November 2011, www.wto.org/aidfortrade

 

Section 7 “...give the weak a stronger voice”

  • Legal advice —Advisory Centre on WTO Law www.acwl.ch

 

Section 8 “...support the environment and health”

 

Section 9 “...contribute to peace and stability”

  • Chart, “Before”: Protectionism drained away two-thirds of world trade, 1929–33 — : Charles P Kindleberger, The World in Depression 1929–1939, Allen Lane/Penguin, page 172, citing League of Nations Monthly Bulletin of Statistics, February 1934, page 51. (Total imports of 75 countries, monthly values in terms of old US gold dollars.)
  • Chart, “After”: History has not been repeated — www.wto.org/statistics

 

Section 10 “...be effective without hitting the headlines”